Originally Posted by
twebb
I remember the episode from mythbusters where they amplified every cell phone frequency and it did nothing to the navigation systems. I find it hard to believe that a video camera will throw off the navigation in an airplane. Think of all the frequencies that are around us right now. Think of all the people on airplanes that don't turn off their phones or electronics. Do ALL of you turn off your phones every time you step onto the plane? The only thing that could be affected would be the magnetic compass...who uses that until *something* hits the fan? (unless you have a regular DG).
If the bad guys just had to turn on their phone or video camera during TO/Landing, we'd be in trouble.
On several airplanes I have flown a cell phone in the cockpit or in the right place in the cabin causes noticeable interference on the VHF comm radios...it's not implausible that it could also degrade a LOC which is on the adjacent frequency range to comms. Who knows what else could be effected. Is it going to cause the explosive bolts on the wings to fire, dooming the airplane? No. But it might create an unneeded distraction at the wrong moment.
Also an analog cell phone (still used in some less-populated areas of the US) in the back seat row will set off the cargo smoke detector in a CRJ 200...that's an automatic blow the bottles and land at nearest suitable...$$$$$$$